New London Texas History:
The London post office operated most of the time from 1855 until 1876. The West Rusk School was established in 1877. Until the 1930 discovery of the East Texas oil field, the economy was primarily based on agriculture. Cotton and corn were the main crops. Products were shipped form the town’s Norfolk Depot on the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad line. The New London post office was established in 1931, the same year the Humble Oil and Refining Company moved 100 families from the Corsicana oil field to New London. Oil companies provided jobs, housing, electricity, and free gas and water to their employees. They also built parks and community buildings. As the town exploded with growth, the London school was able to expand and consolidate with other smaller schools. The London School District, one of the richest in the United States, built a new $1 million school which was heated with 72 gas heaters. On March 18, 1937, a spark ignited a large pocket of trapped gas beneath the school, destroying the school and killing over 295 students, teachers, staff and visitors. It is the worst school disaster in United States history, and led to a Texas law requiring natural gas be made odorous. During the 1950s the East Texas oilfield began to decline. In the New London area, the drilling of wells was replaced by oil services industry. New London incorporated in 1963. The town’s population has remained relatively stable since the 1970s.New London is located at the intersection of SH 42 (Main Street) and FM 323 (Van Buren Street), 27.4 miles east of Whitehouse and Lake Tyler, 38 miles southeast of Tyler State Park, 28 miles southeast of Tyler, 4.6 miles southeast of Overton, 24.5 miles south of Gladewater and Lake Gladewater, 23.6 miles southwest of Longview, 11.8 miles southwest of Kilgore, 30 miles southwest of Tatum, 20 miles west of Martin Creek Lake State Park, 29.6 miles northwest of Mount Enterprise, 11.2 miles northwest of Henderson, 6.7 miles northwest of Joinerville, and 36 miles northeast of Jacksonville, Texas.

Daisy Bradford No. 3 Discovery Well, Joinerville, TX:
Oklahoma attorney and oil promoter Columbus M. “Dad” Joiner believed there was oil in Rusk County. At age 70, he had already won and lost two fortunes in oil. He began drilling on Daisy Bradford’s land, approximately 8 miles northwest of Henderson. All he could afford was inferior equipment. He abandoned the first will when he reached a depth of 1,098 feet. He also abandoned the second well. In January 1930, the third well was started by Joiner about 300 feet from his first attempt. On Oct. 3, 1930, the Daisy Bradford No. 3 blew in as a 300 barrel-a-day well at a depth of 3,592 feet, establishing the East Texas establishing the East Texas oil field, the largest oil field in the world at the time. From Henderson take SH 323 toward Overton; go left on CR 4136 and drive 1.6 miles to a white pipe fence on your right and the Texas Historical Marker for the Daisy Bradford No. 3 well and the original Discovery Well. From SH 64 just west of Joinerville, go northwest on CR 4105. Turn left on CR 4105/Miller Ranch Road. Go right on CR 4136. (903) 392-8232. (866) 650-5529.

1937 New London Texas School Explosion:
In 1932, the New London School District, one of the riches in the United States, built a large $1 million dollar school of steel and concrete. Because the school was located on a hill, a large dead space of air was located beneath the building. Over the advice of the architect, the school board had elected to install 72 gas heaters throughout the building instead of building a boiler and steam distribution system. In early 1937, the school board cancelled their gas contract and had plumbers install a tap line to the Parade Gasoline Company’s gas line in order to save the school’s monthly $300 natural bill. This practice was not illegal and was widespread in the area. Natural gas is odorless, so teachers and students in the building were unaware that leaks had allowed gas to become trapped in the space underneath the building. At 3:05 P.M. on March 18, 1937, the school day had nearly ended, and the younger grades had been dismissed. Some of these children waited on school buses for older students to join them for the ride home. A PTA meeting was being held in the gymnasium located adjacent to the school. At approximately 3:20 pm, Industrial arts teacher Lemmie Butler turned on a sander in his shop and a spark ignited natural gas. The building was lifted in the explosion, and then crushed into rubble. Over 295 students, teachers, staff and visitors were killed. Of the approximately 600 students and 40 teachers in the building at the time, only about 130 escaped without serious injury. Within weeks of the disaster the Texas legislature began mandating that Thiols (mercaptans) be added to natural gas to give it an odor so leaks could be detected. From Henderson take SH 323 (6.8 miles) west of Henderson toward Overton. On the right you will see the modern brick building of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. The church cemetery located across the highway from the church is the burial site of 171 of those killed in the explosion. The New London (School) Museum and Cenotaph are located near the rebuilt school.

New London Museum, Fountain & Cafe, New London, TX:
Located across from the rebuilt school, this small museum chronicles the horror of the March 18, 1937 school explosion that killed over 295 students, teachers, staff and visitors. The museum schoolroom is furnished with period pieces. Exhibits include clothing, books and photos. A cafe serves light lunches on weekdays, and features an old time soda fountain. A cenotaph commemorates the school explosion and lists the names all those who lost their lives. The museum and Fountain are open year round Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm, and March through August, Sat 10am-3pm. The café is open Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm. A museum admission fee applies. Saturday group visits available by appointment. (903) 895-4602. The museum is located at 10690 Main Street (SH 42), across from school. EmailNew London Texas Map; Click to EnlargeNew London Texas Area Map